EU - Egypt relations

The first cooperation agreement between the EC and Egypt was signed in 1977.

The main activities financed by the protocols and EU-Egypt bilateral funds were: public enterprise reform and privatization program (€ 43 million), Programme for Private Sector Development (€ 45 million), reforming the financial sector / Banking Central (€ 11.7 million), support for the Population Programme in Upper Egypt (10 million €).

The MEDA program until 2000 has been the main instrument to manage the aid through the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

The Association Agreement between EU and Egypt was signed in June 2001 after nearly five years of negotiations, coming into action in 2004. The association agreement includes the establishment of new institutional structures for intensification of political dialogue and cooperation in the fields of education and culture and the fight against crime.